Folding go-cart.



A. E. McGILL.

FOLDING GO-GART.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.13, 1909. RENEWED JAN. 18, 1913. 1,05 3,424.

Patented Feb. 18, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

iii

A. E. MoGILL.

m FOLDING GO-CART. APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 13, 1909. RENEWED JAN. 12, 1913.

Patented Feb. 18,' 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

r W'Ji V L'DLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co, WASHINGTON, D c.

A. E. MoGILL.

FOLDING GO-OABT. APPLICATION FILED rmms, 1909. RENEWED JAN. 19, 1913.

1,053,424. I Patented Feb. 18, 1913 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co, WASHINGTON, D

STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT E. MCG'ILL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIG-NOR TO ALWIN MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

FOLDING Go-cAaT.

Patented Feb. 18,1913.

Application filed February 13, 1909, Serial No. 477,525. Renewed January 18, 1913. Serial No. 742,782.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT E. MOGILL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Go-Carts, of which the following is a specification.

in folding go-carts and one of the objects of the same is to provide an improved device of this character which may be readily and compactly collapsed or folded for storage or shipping purposes.

A further object is to provide an improved cart of this character having wheel supports foldable with respect to the supporting frame and adapted to be locked into position for use, and improved means for auto matically locking the wheel supports when the seat supporting frame is unfolded and for automatically unlocking the wheel supports when the seat supporting frame is folded or collapsed.

A further object is to provide an improved means for unfolding the wheel supports.

To the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other new and useful objects, as will appear, the invention con sists in the features of novelty in the construction, combination and arrangement of the several parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings illustrating an em bodiment of the invention, and in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of an improved device of this character constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention. Fig. 2 is a rear end elevation of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view showing the cart folded. Fig. 1 is a side elevation similar to Fig. 1, showing the cart partially unfolded. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the connecting member between the braces for the seat supporting frame and the bail for locking the wheel supports in position.

Referring more particularly to the draw ings and in the present exemplification of the invention, the numeral 10 designates the side bars of the supporting frame, which are connected at their forward end by means of the cross bar 11 and at their rear end by means of the cross bar 12.

Mounted upon each of the side bars 10 of the supporting frame are wheel supports 13 which are rotat-ably mounted with respect .thereto and are adapted to be folded with respect to the supporting frame. These 'wheel supports are spaced from each other on each side of the frame and are respectively connected by means of a connecting bar or member 14: whereby the wheel sup ;ports 13 may be moved in unison. Thls lnventlon relates to lmprovements The body structure comprises side bars or members 15 which are pivotally connected by their forward extremities as at 16 to the ffront of the main supporting frame. rear end of the frame of the body structure is held in position by means of a defiectable braces 17 which are pivot-ally connected as .at 18 to a suitable collar 19 secured to the extremities of the side bars 15 of the sup porting frame.

The

A pair of tubular members 20 are each provided with a tubular portion 21 arranged at right angles to the body portions 20 and the free extremities of each of the ldeflectable braces 17 is adapted to extend through the tubular portion 21 on the respectlve members 20. These members 20 are arranged one adjacent each of the side bars 10 and are connected by means of a cross bar 22 which extends through the body portions of the members 20 and project for some distance beyond the members 20. These members 20 are arranged on the inside I of the side bars 10 so that the projecting extremities 23 of the bar 22 will rest upon the 1 adjacent side bar 10.

Surrounding each of the defiectable braces 17 is an elastic member 24. preferably in the form of a coil spring, one extremity of which rests upon the end of the tubular por tion 21 of the member 20 and the other extremity engages a pin or projection 25 on the respective braces, so that when the braces are in an upright position, as shown in Fig. 1, the springs 24 will serve as cushions for the body structure supporting frame.

If desired, a suitable sleeve 26 may be provided which surrounds the elastic members 24 for the purpose of protecting said members.

The seat 27 is preferably constructed of some flexible material and is suspended from the seat supporting frame and the foot rest 28 is also constructed of suitable flexible material and is suspended from the seat 27 and preferably the cross bar 11 at the front of the supporting frame.

An extensible support 29 which prefer ably telescopes with the side bars 15 of the body-frame may be provided for the flexible back 30 and a suitable catch 31 may be provided for locking the bars 29 in their adjusted position.

Depending below the supporting frame 10 are locking arms 32, one extremity of which may be secured to extensions 33 on the tubular member 20 and the free extremities of these arms may be connected as at 32 to form a locking bail, and suitable braces 3tmay be provided between the locking arms 32, which engage and are secured to the arms and also to the projections 33 of the members 20 for bracing the bail.

Suitable catches 35 of the ordinary and well known construction may be provided on the connecting bars 14: of the wheel supports, which catches are adapted to be engaged by the arms 3270f the locking bail to lock the wheel supports against inward movement. The arms 32 of the locking bail are rigid with respect to the member 20 and practically form continuations of the deflectable braces 17 which depend below the main supporting frame. When the lower end of the braces 17 are moved forwardly or backwardly to lower or raise the body structure supporting frame,- the arms 32 of the locking bail will be correspondingly moved and the extremities 23 of the connecting bar 22 will slide upon the side bars 10 of the supporting frame.

A handle 36 is pivotally connected at one extremity, preferably to the cross bar 12, and links 37 are pivotally connected by one extremity to the handle and by their other extremities to the cross bar 22, preferably to the extremities 23 thereof, so that when the handle 36 is moved forwardly or backwardly to fold or unfold the same with respect to the supporting frame, the braces 17 will be deflected and the locking bail will be adjusted in the manner set forth.

Any suitable means may be provided for locking the braces 17 and the locking bail in position and for this purpose one or more catches 38 may be provided, Jreferably two, one adjacent each of the side bars 10. These catches 38' are preferably pivoted at one extremity to the cross bar 12 and are connected by means of a bar 39 to move in unison, and a projection 40 may be provided which is-connected to the cross bar 39 by means of which the catches 38 may be rocked. The catches are each provided at their forward extremities with downwardly opening notches 41, which are adapted to pass over the bar 22 when the latter is moved adjacent the extremity of the catches, to lock the parts in an operative position.

If desired, a locking bail 42 may be pro vided for the front wheel supports 13, which bail is adapted to engage suitable catches similar to the catches 35.

When the handle is folded inwardly or upon a main supporting frame, the braces 17 will be deflected and folded between the body structure and the main supporting frame, and the rear locking bail will be folded upwardly toward the main supporting frame, so that the arms 32 thereof will project between the side bars 10 of the main supporting frame, after which the wheel supports may be rotated or folded with respect to the main supporting frame, to cause the connecting bars 14 thereof to engage the locking bail. The front locking bail may be also folded toward the main supporting frame. hen the parts are in this folded position, as shown in Fig. 3, the operator may grasp the handle 36 and unfold the same. This unfolding movement of the handle will cause the locking bail to force the wheel supporting frame into an operative position by engaging the connecting bar 14 and a continued unfolding movement of the handle will cause the arms of the locking bail to engage the catches 35 to lock the rear wheel supports in position. When thus locked, the front locking bail, if employed, may then be adjusted to lock the front wheel supports.

If desired, a cotter pin 43 may be provided which extends through the deflect-able braces 17 below the tubular portion 21 of the member 20 to prevent accidental displacement of the braces.

In order that the invention might be fully understood, the details of the foregoing embodiment thereof have been thus specifically described, but

That I claim as new is 1. In a folding go-cart the combination of a running gear frame, wheel supports 5 foldable with relation to the frame, a folding seat supporting structure on the frame,

braces pivoted to the seat structure for supporting the latter at one end, spaced members, a bar connecting said members, said 0 ;bar projecting beyond each of the members and resting upon the said frame, said mem- .bers being provided with tubular portions into which the' respective braces extend, means for securing the braces against displacement with respect to said members whereby the braces will be supported by and have sliding engagement with the running gear frame, locking means for the wheel supports also supported by said members, said locking means being movable with the member and extending below the frame, a foldable handle, and connections between the handle and the said members for moving the latter to adjust the braces and the said locking means to fold the seat structure and unlock the wheel supports when the handle is folded, and to unfold the seat structure and lock the wheel supports when the handle is unfolded.

2. In a folding go-cart, the combination of a running gear frame, wheel supports foldable with relation to the frame, a folding seat supporting structure on the frame, braces pivoted to the seat structure for supporting the latter at one end, spaced members, a bar connecting said members, said bar projecting beyond each of the members and resting upon the said frame, said members being provided with tubular portions into which the respective braces extend, means for securing the braces against displacement with respect to said members, whereby the braces will be supported by and have sliding engagement with the running gear frame, locking means for the wheel supports also supported by said members, said locking means being movable with the member and extending below the frame, a foldable handle, and connections between the handle and the said members for moving the latter to adjust the braces and the said locking means to fold the seat structure and unlock the wheel supports when the handle is folded, the said locking means being adapted to automatically unfold and lock the wheel supports in position for use by the unfolding movement of the handle.

3. In a folding go-cart, the combination of a running gear frame, wheel supports foldable with relation to the frame, a body structure on the frame, braces pivoted to the said structure for supporting the latter at one end, spaced members, a bar connecting said members, said bar projecting beyond each of the members and resting upon the said frame, means for securing the braces against displacement with respect to the members whereby the braces will be supported by and have sliding engagement with the running gear frame, locking means for the wheel supports also supported by saidmembers, said locking means being movable with the member and extending below the frame, a foldable handle, and connections between the handle and the said members for moving the latter to adjust the braces and the said locking means to fold the body structure and unlock the wheel supports when the handle is folded, and to unfold the body structure and lock the wheel supports when the handle is unfolded.

4. In a folding go-cart, the combination of a running gear frame, wheel supports foldable with relation to the frame, a folding body structure on the frame, braces pivoted to the body structure for supporting the latter at one end, spaced members, a bar connecting said members, said bar projecting beyond each of the members and resting upon the said frame, said members being provided with tubular portlons into which the respective braces extend, means for securing the braces against displacement with respect to said members whereby the braces will be supported by and have sliding engagement with the running gear frame, locking means for the wheel supports also supported by said members, said locking means being movable with the members and extending below the frame, a foldable handle, connections between the handle and the said members for moving the latter to adjust the braces and the said locking means to fold the body structure and unlock the wheel supports when the handle is folded, and means whereby the said locking means will automatically unfold and lock the wheel supports in position for use by the unfolding movement of the handle.

5. In a folding go-cart, the combination of a running gear frame, wheel supports foldable with relation to the frame, a col lapsible body structure on the frame, braces pivotally connected with the body structure and serving as a support therefor, spaced members, a bar connecting the members, said bar having engagement with the running gear frame, means connecting the braces with the respective members for sliding movement with respect thereto, said members being bodily adjustable longitudinally of therunning gear frame, locking means connected with said members and movable therewith, said locking means op erating to extend below the running gear frame to lock the wheel supports, and to fold longitudinally with respect to the frame, a foldable handle, and means connecting the handle with said members for bodily moving the latter when the handle is folded or unfolded for adjusting the braces and for respectively locking and unlocking the wheel supports.

6. In a folding go-cart, the combination of a running gear frame, wheel supports foldable with relation to the frame, a collapsible body structure on the frame, braces pivotally connected with the body structure and serving as a support therefor, spaced members, a bar connecting the members, said bar having engagement with the running gear frame, means connecting the braces with the respective members for sliding movement with respect thereto, said members being bodily adjustable longitudinally of the running gear frame, a bail-like locking member extending transversely of the running gear frame with its extremities connected to the respective first recited members, a foldable handle, and means connecting the handle with the first recited members for bodily moving the latter when the handle is folded or unfolded for adjusting the braces and for respectively locking and unlocking the wheel supports.

7. In a folding go-cart, the combination of a running gear frame, wheel supports foldable with relation to the frame, a collapsible body structure on the frame, braces I l l pivotally connected with the body structure and serving as a support therefor, spaced members, a bar connecting the members, said bar having engagement With the running gear frame, means connecting the braces with the respective members for sliding movement with respect thereto, said members being bodily adjustable longitudinally of the running gear frame, a bail-like locking member extending transversely of the running gear frame with its extremities connected to the respective first recited members, a foldable handle, means connecting the handle with the first recited members for bodily moving the latter when the 15 In testimony whereof I have signed my 2 name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses, on this 8th day of February, A. D, 1909.

ALBERT E. MoGILL.

Witnesses:

J. H. JOOHUM, Jr., C. H. SEEM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

